Sunday, September 29, 2013

In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut--young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigor

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Complementing the F.27 Friendship turboprop, the F.28 Fellowship was intended to offer pure-jet comfort, higher speeds, and reduced block times traditionally associated with larger twins, such as the BAC-111, the DC-9, and the 737, to regional route operators. But, following the demand for increased capacity in all markets, and seeking to incorporate then-emerging technological advances, Fokker soon envisioned a successor that would not only infringe on the traditional, short-range jet segment, but replace many of its first generation types.

Initial design studies, designated P315, F.28-2, and Super F.28, were undertaken in 1977 and were based upon the F.28-4000-the highest capacity and numerically most popular of the six versions, but featured a stretched fuselage for up to 115 passengers, a new wing, 16,500 thrust-pound engines, a Mach 0.75 cruise speed, and a 1,500 nautical mile range. Intended program dates, characterized by two-year intervals, included 1979 for the type's launch, 1981 for its first flight, and 1983 for its certification.

Although powerplant progress had been made since the initial de Havilland Ghost and Rolls Royce Avon engines had been introduced, with the likes of the Spey and Spey Junior that respectively powered the BAC-111 and the F.28, the number of types was still very limited, and this served as the greatest obstacle to a more modernized and ambitious Fellowship successor.

Projected powerplants included an improved version of the Rolls Royce Spey, another of the Pratt and Whitney JT10D, a scaled-down CFM-56, and a proposed Rolls Royce RB.432. However, their manufacturers were either reluctant to launch such engines or optimized them for aircraft with higher gross weights than Fokker was considering.

In the event, these obstacles may have become opportunities, because still-increasing demand dictated even greater capacities-of about 150 passengers-on short- to medium-range routes, and a fuselage wide enough for six-abreast, single-aisle coach seating-or one more than the BAC-111, DC-9, or F.28 had offered.

Yielding to market demand, and buoyed by new generation, 20,000 thrust-pound CFM56-3 and RB.432 turbofans, Fokker elected to deviate from its five-across seating standard and offer a sixth one with a new proposal designated F.29, which would enter the ranks of other second-generation 150-seaters. Capacity, double that of the F.28, was 138 at a 34-inch pitch or 156 at a 30-inch pitch, and range was foreseen as 1,700 nautical miles, although its overall configuration remained identical to its smaller predecessor with two aft-mounted engines and a t-tail to avoid exhaust interference with the horizontal stabilizers. The first flight was now slated for 1983.

Because the development costs of such an ambitious project were beyond the economic viability of a small Dutch regional aircraft manufacturer, however, program reality was contingent upon a link with a risk-sharing partner.

Although the t-tail was retained, its two turbofans were relocated and were now pylon-mounted below and ahead of the high aspect ratio, supercritical wing.

Despite its technical merits, it would only be launched if sufficient orders could justify its purpose, and in this case, none did, even after considerable marketing efforts, thus forcing cancellation of both the project and the partnership in 1982, or three years before the advanced airliner's intended first flight.

McDonnell-Douglas ultimately offered its stretched fuselage MD-80 powered by refanned JT8D-209 engines and this, along with the Airbus A-320 family and Boeing 737-300 to -500 series, saturated what would have been the ATMR-II's market.

Fokker, painstakingly aware that technological advances were eclipsing both its turboprop F.27 and pure-jet F.28 regional products, elected to follow its temporary partner's lead by revising and enlarging its earlier offering.

Revisiting its F.28-4000-based P315 design study, it decided to incorporate advanced engines and systems in a stretched-fuselage successor optimized for 100-passengers and thus designated "F.100," announcing the program, along with that of its next-generation F.50 turboprop, on November 24, 1983.

Two lower baggage/cargo holds were accessed by three starboard, upward-opening doors.

The 17-degree sweptback wings, with a 92-foot, 1.5-inch span and 8.43 aspect ratio, was based upon the Fellowship's, but introduced revised leading and trailing edges and a greater leading edge chord to increase the high-speed buffet boundary and decrease drag. Incorporating fully powered, hydraulically actuated ailerons, double-slotted Fowler flaps, and five-panel lift dumpers ahead of them, it featured a 1,006.4-square-foot area.

The tailplane span was 32 feet, 11 ¼ inches.

The engine, the key to the aircraft, had not been available during Fokker's earlier, independent studies. Designed for the Gulfstream G.IV business jet, the Rolls Royce Tay, incorporating the high-pressure section of the Spey Junior 555-which itself had powered the F.28-introduced a new low-pressure section.

Pylon mounted to the aft fuselage sides, the thrust reverser-equipped Mk 620 turbofans, developing 13,850 pounds of thrust, were fed by 1,274 US gallons of fuel carried in main wing tanks.

The aircraft was ground-supported by a twin-wheeled, hydraulically actuated, tricycle undercarriage.

Access was provided by a forward, left, manually operated, outward-opening, escape slid-equipped passenger door or optionally with an electronically-powered, out- and downward-opening, lighted airstair, which incorporated retractable handrails and a foldable bottom step.

A galley servicing door was located on the forward, right side, across from it, while four plug-type, inward-opening emergency exits were positioned over the wing.

The two-pilot glass cockpit featured two reclinable, lap belt- and shoulder harness-equipped seats, which were provisioned with thigh and lumbar supports and were horizontally and vertically adjustable. A third, wall-stored observer's seat was located behind the pilot's.

The main instrument panel, subdivided into captain's, center, and first officer's sections, featured duplicated primary and secondary fight instruments, although standby fight instruments were singularly located on the captain's side and the fuel totalizer and brake system indicators were installed on the first officer's side.

The six main instrument panels of the Collins electronic flight instrument system (EFIS) consisted of two primary flight displays (PFDs), two navigation displays (NDs), and two multifunction display units (MFDUs). The former two provided flight and navigation information, while the latter encompassed engine parameters, alerts, procedures, and messages.

The center panel offered engine indication and fight warning system displays, along with landing gear controls and indicators.

The pedestal sported the engine thrust levers, flap and trim handles, speed and parking brakes, the stick pusher, and the flight management system (FMS).

The cabin, sporting a "new look" interior, was standardly configured with two electronically-powered, potable water-provisioned galley units, two lavatories, two garment closets, and enclosed overhead storage compartments for hand luggage.

Mixed class arrangements included 12 four-abreast first class seats at a 36-inch pitch and 85 five-abreast coach seats at a 32-inch pitch, or a virtually even ratio of 55 business to 50 economy seats. Single-class accommodation, at a 32-inch pitch, totaled 107.

Aircraft systems included two independent hydraulic systems for nose wheel steering, brake, undercarriage, and flight surface actuation; an AiResearch pressurization and air conditioning system; an AiResearch pneumatic system; an AiResearch thermal anti-icing system for the wings and tail; and a Garrett GTCP36-150RR auxiliary power unit (APU), operable at altitudes of up to 35,000 feet.

3. Flight Test Program:

Although the aircraft's avionics were tested on an earlier F.28, the fight test program employed two stretched-fuselage F.100-standard aircraft, the first, registered PH-MKH, flying on November 30, 1986 and culminating, after a 2.5-hour inaugural flight, with the first automatic approach and flare for a touch-and-go after such a maiden operation.

Accumulating 150 hours, it was joined by the second prototype, PH-MKC, which first flew on February 25 of the following year, and both were subjected to wide climactic and operational realms, including water ingestion tests in Cranfield, runway performance tests in Granada, hot weather tests in Tunis, and icing tests in Norway, before ending their 11-month, 1,100-hour, 1,500-landing program. The only appreciable anomalies uncovered were those involving the brakes and the thrust reversers.

Dutch RLD and US FAA type certifications were granted, respectively, on November 20, 1987 and May 30, 1989.

Retrofitted with 15,100 thrust-pound Rolls Royce Tay Mk 650 engines, prototype PH-MKH first flew on June 8, 1988 and was certified with them on July 1 of the following year.

Performance data varied according to one of three gross weight options: standard, intermediate, and high. Powered by 13,850 thrust-pound Tay Mk 620s, the first offered a 95,000-pound maximum take off weight, an 85,500-pound maximum landing weight, and a 1,484 statute mile range with 107 passengers and baggage. The second, coupled with the 15,100 thrust-pound Tay Mk 650s, respectively equaled 98,000 pounds, 88,000 pounds, and 1,784 statute miles, while the third, again with the uprated turbofans, were 101,500 pounds, 88,000 pounds, and 1,933 statute miles. The addition of a 984-US gallon center fuel tank, available as of 1993, increased total capacity to 3,531 gallons.

4. Production:

Although F.100 final assembly occurred at Schiphol Oost, in Holland, aircraft components were manufactured by Shorts, of Belfast, Northern Ireland (wings), MBB of Germany (fuselage sections and the tail), and Dowty Rotol (the undercarriage).

5. In Service:

While Fokker envisioned that the F.28 would become the largest aircraft in a small airline's fleet, it conversely predicted that the F.100 would become the smallest aircraft in a large airline's fleet. Their prediction proved accurate.

Swissair placed the launch order for eight aircraft, along with six options, in July of 1984, and these were followed by orders and options for ten and five from KLM in May of 1985 and 20 and 20 in July by USAir, the latter enabling Fokker to penetrate the all-important US market. By the time that the second prototype had flown in 1987, orders and options had totaled 178.

The largest order, however-and the second in the American market-was for 75 firm and 75 optioned aircraft placed by American Airlines itself in March of 1989, which sought to replace its Boeing 727s and its European regional jet BAe-146 rival, acquired during the AirCal buyout, with the type.

USAir took delivery of the first Tay 650 version on the same day that it was certified, on July 1, 1989.

By the end of that year, 28 aircraft had been produced and the order book counted 382 by the beginning of 1990.

A typical inter-European F.100 flight was sampled in June of 1994 with Swissair, which had initially taken delivery of the type on February 29, 1988 and had inaugurated it into service two months later, on April 25, replacing its first-generation DC-9-30s.

Formed on March 26, 1931 as a result of the Ad Astra Aero and Balair merger, it inaugurated Lockheed Orion express route service from Basel to Vienna with intermediate stops in Zurich and Munich, operating it year-round, as opposed to its initial, summer-only schedule, four years later.

World War II, as had occurred with all European carriers, resulted in a service suspension-in this case during the six-year period from 1939 to 1945-but Swissair quickly connected the continental dots with wings thereafter and, two years later, was designated Switzerland's national airline.

Transatlantic service, to New York, commenced on May 2 of that year with the delivery of quad-engined DC-4s and the route became a scheduled one in 1949. It was served by larger, longer-range DC-6Bs two years later.

North American service was mirrored by that to its southern counterpart during the early-1950s, with an initial Zurich-Geneva-Lisbon-Dakkar-Receife-Rio de Janeiro-Sao Paulo route inaugurated on May 27, 1954, and extensions were made to Montevideo and Buenos Aires three years later.

Its European network, operated by increasingly advanced equipment, saw service with Convair CV-240s in 1949 and CV-440 Metropolitans in 1956, and stretched wings, literally, carried passengers across the Atlantic on ultra-long-range DC-7Cs. The type not only facilitated an increase in the number of nonstop routes served, but paved the way to a 1957 extension to the Far East, albeit on anything but a direct routing. Departing Zurich, the aircraft touched down in Geneva, Beirut, Karachi, Bombay, Bangkok, and Manila before terminating in Tokyo.

So popular was it, however, that a second route flow, from Zurich to Hong Kong and Tokyo, was quickly introduced.

Wing-mounted propellers soon yielded to nacelle-encased pure-jet engines, initial transcontinental and European equipment respectively including DC-8-30s and SE.210 Caravelles. Mustang-performing Convair CV-990s facilitated expansion to Africa-specifically to Accra in Ghana and Lagos in Nigeria-on May 2, 1962, and its ultimate short- to medium-range European and North African, Caravelle-replacing workhorse became the DC-9, which first appeared in Swissair livery with the 1966 delivery of its original DC-9-15. It was followed by the -30 and -50 and, in the process, the carrier became the third all-jet European operator in 1968.

It entered the widebody era in 1971 with the acquisition of 747-200Bs and the type was supplemented by six intercontinental DC-10-30 trijets.

In 1977, it became the co-launch operator, with Austrian Airlines, of the DC-9-81 (later redesignated MD-81), placing a 15-firm and five-optioned order, and taking delivery of the stretched twin three years later.

Intended as the backbone of its short- and medium-range European and North African fleet, it was too large for the thinner sectors over which its last Stage Two DC-9-30s and -50s were operated, and the SFR 450 million aircraft replacement program for Fokker F.100s, which included reserve engines, spares, and a simulator, gave it an entirely Stage III-compliant fleet.

Accommodating seven fewer passengers than its DC-9-30s, the F.100, in a dual-class, 84-seat configuration, had a 2,200-kilometer range with maximum fuel, payload, and one ton of cargo, and was thus suited to segments outside of its main traffic arteries. Because of its size, it was also used in other capacities, such as providing additional frequency during off-peak (midday) periods and inaugurating new routes that were later operated by larger MD-81s after sufficiently stimulated traffic had merited their size.

Powered by Rolls Royce Tay 620-15 engines, the Fokker F.100 introduced a digital cockpit with electronic and multi-channel displays and incorporated weight-reducing composite material in its construction, and was seen as a quieter, more fuel efficient, and advanced regional jet replacement.

Indeed, the 1,100-hour flight test program had demonstrated that it offered a three-percent lower fuel reduction than predicted-or 15 percent less than that of the DC-9-30 it replaced-and an 82-decibel noise emission-or ten lower than that of the DC-9-30 and 15 lower than that of the DC-9-50.

Swissair's ten F.100s, running in registration from HB-IVA to -IVK (with -IVJ omitted), were part of a 61-strong, five-type, twin-, tri-, and quad-engined fleet from four European and US manufacturers with an average, 7.8-year age, and it included 24 MD-81s, five A-310-200s, five A-310-300s, 12 MD-11s, and five 747-300s, over and above the Fokkers. As the 16th largest IATA and seventh largest European carrier, Swissair served a 320,594-unduplicated kilometer network, which included 116 destinations in 68 countries on five continents.

In 1993, it had conducted 219,629 flight hours (a 5.8-percent increase over the year-earlier period) and carried over 7.8 million passengers (a 4.7-percent increase) and almost 268,000 tons of cargo and mail (a 9.5-percent increase).

Nosed into Gate Two at Geneva's Cointrin International Airport beneath the brilliant noon blue on that June 1994 day, aircraft HB-IVH "Stadel," sporting its dark brown fuselage trim and red tail, was prepared for its 748-mile sector as Flight SR 406 to Copenhagen, the first of several Swissair t-tails being serviced for its midday bank of departures. The others, all MD-81s, were used on Switzerland-Denmark routes during peak times.

Despite its current unique stature, the 84-passenger F.100 vied, at other times, with the 82-passenger Avro International RJ85 operated by subsidiary Crossair.

Sporting a conservative, tan and brown décor, with horizontally-patterned seat upholstery and equally patterned fabrics that covered the sidewalls, lavatory doors, and the overhead storage compartments, Swissair's dual-class configured F.100s featured a forward, left lavatory and, across form it, a dual-unit galley, and accommodated 28 business class passengers in five four-abreast rows and 56 economy class passengers in ten five-abreast rows. An aft, left, dual-unit galley, with its own service door (and giving it an MD-87 interior appearance), was equipped with three ovens and coffee makers and two full-size carts. Two aisle-opposed lavatories were installed in the extreme tail.

After the flight plan and the standard instrument departure (SID) from Runway 05 had been entered into the flight management system in the cockpit, the engines were started by first pressing the start switch of the number two turbofan and then repeating the process for the number one engine after its N1 revolutions had spooled up to 51 percent.

Disconnected from the towbar after pushback at 1220, the F.100 initiated its taxi roll with a throttle advancement and was instructed to follow a fellow Swissair MD-81-while coincidentally trailed by another Scandinavia-bound twinjet, an SAS DC-9-20-during which the taxi checklist was completed.

Turning on to the runway with the aid of the nose wheel steering tiller, and retaining its flaps in the neutral position because of its light load, aircraft HB-IVH, nudged into initial acceleration, settled into its take off run with a full throttle advancement after positive power had been established, consuming the concrete as its V1 and rotate speeds were achieved.

Retracting its undercarriage after a positive climb rate had been established, the t-tailed regional jet settled into a 2,500-fpm ascent rate over the turquoise, sun-glinted surface of "Lac Lemon" with its prominent, water-cascading "jet d'eau," surmounting the city of Lausanne.

The black and green edges of the Alps receded below the starboard wingtip and, as the altitude increased, its eternally fleece-white peaks triumphantly rose toward the deep blue tropopause. Scattered, cotton-resembling nimbus islands, seeming to float atop their peaks, created a corrugated plateau.

Like a window into the sky, the electronic flight instrument system provided a full view of the aircraft's parameters, the primary flight display sporting an artificial horizon, a rate-of-climb bar, and speed and altitude tapes, and the navigation display indicating heading and distance to waypoints.

Lunch, served on china and preceded by cocktails and a small tray of almonds and pretzel sticks, included white meat turkey and encrusted salami slices, dill potato salad, a creamy carrot salad, French cornichons, hot white and wheat rolls, with butter, from the basket, 187-ml bottles of red or white wine, tartlets of pastry cream, pineapple slices, cherries, and whipped cream, coffee, and Swiss chocolates.

Maintaining the type's 35,000-foot service ceiling, the Tay 620-15 powered twinjet followed its primarily northerly heading, passing over Freiburg, Karlsruhe, the Rhine Valley, Frankfurt, Kassel, Hanover, and Hamburg in Germany, and then traversing the Baltic Sea toward Denmark.

Copenhagen was reporting overcast skies and almost half the temperature, at 11 degrees Celsius, as Geneva.

Boring into dense cloud with its bulleted nose, the aircraft deployed its ventral airbrake, enabling it to assume a sharp, but controlled descent.

Contacting the tower and beginning its landing checklist, Flight 406 overflew the Navy blue, whitecapped Baltic, the runway pattern of Copenhagen's Kastrup International Airport passing beyond its left wing.

Cruising over felt-green topography and banking left to its final approach heading, the F.100, now beneath a silver cloud ceiling, extended its double-slotted Fowler flaps through the eight- and 15-degree positions over another gap of water before unleashing its undercarriage into the slipstream and then further deploying its flaps to the 25- and 42-degree positions. Its spoilers were armed. As if attempting to counteract a ballooning parachute, it opened its throttles.

Assuming a decidedly downward pitch, it once again intercepted the coast, the runway inching toward the windshield, as a computerized voice provided 100-foot-interval altitude calls: 500... 400... 300... 200... 100...

As it reduced power to initiate its flare, the now ten-foot-interval calls commenced: 50... 40... 30... 20... 10...

Squatting, like an animal, on its hind leg main wheels, the twinjet snatched the runway with two mushrooming smoke puffs, and deceleration, to 60 knots, permitted transfer of its nose wheel steering back to its tiller.

Contacting Kastrup Ground Control, the aircraft was given taxi instructions, ultimately inching down the ramp guide line to Gate 26, abreast of an identically configured SAS DC-9-20 t-tailed twin at 1430.

6. Fokker F.70:

Although the F.100 was a technological success and fulfilled the sub-150-seat, short- to medium-range niche with an advanced, fuel-efficient design, it had eclipsed the niche that had spawned it-namely, that of a 70- to 80-passenger F.28 replacement-but market studies still revealed the need for such an aircraft.

To fill the gap between its F.50 turboprop and existing F.100, Fokker removed a single, forward and aft plug from the latter's fuselage, reducing its length by 15.2 feet to produce a new 101-foot, 4 ¾-inch overall length for accommodation of 79 single-class passengers at a 31- to 32-inch seat pitch. One of the two overwing emergency exits was removed and its standard configuration entailed a forward galley and an aft lavatory.

Designated the F.70, the aircraft received a launch order for ten from Indonesia's Sempati Air, sparking the program's launch in June of 1993 and by April of the following year, orders had increased to 29, along with five options, from Air Littoral (five), British Midland (five), the Ford Motor Company (one), Mesa Airlines (two), the Netherlands government (one), and Pelita (five), over and above the Sempati totals.

First flying on April 2, 1993 after F.100 prototype PH-MKC was modified to this standard, it amassed 436 hours during its 18-month flight test program and was subsequently joined by the first production aircraft, which logged an additional 20 hours in the air. Both Dutch RLD and FAA type certifications were granted on October 14 of the following year. The Ford Motor Company, specifying a corporate version with seating for 48, took delivery of the first F.70 that month, while Sempati Air received the first airline-standard aircraft on March 9, 1995.

7. Fokker F.130:

Intended as the third-and largest-version in Fokker's regional jet product line for routes requiring capacity beyond that of the initial F.100, the proposed F.130, with a 20.5-foot fuselage stretch and the addition of an aft, port passenger door, would have had a 136-foot, 11 ¾-inch overall length, and would have employed a 4.11-foot wingspan increase attained by means of root plugs. The new span would have been 102 feet.

A 128-passenger mixed-class arrangement would have included 12 four-abreast seats at a 36-inch pitch and 116 seats at a 32-inch pitch. Single-class accommodation would have topped out at 137.

With a 34,430-pound maximum payload, the elongated airliner would have had a gross weight of between 122,000 and 130,000 pounds and a maximum landing weight of 113,000 pounds. Range, with 137 passengers and their baggage, would have been 1,956 miles, although optionally higher weights would have increased this to 2,721 miles.

Whereas the F.70 served as a next-generation replacement for the BAC-11-200 and the DC-9-10, and the F.100 did the same for the BAC-111-500 and the DC-9-30, the F.130 could have served as a DC-9-50 and 737-200 successor.

Although wind tunnel testing commenced in June of 1991, and aerodynamic issues proved no obstacle, commercial ones did. The Fokker F.130 was not to be-nor was Fokker itself, as changing economic conditions and poor US exchange rates forced the venerable aircraft manufacturer that still bore founder Anthony Fokker's name to declare bankruptcy in March of 1996, effectively ending production of its F.50, F.60, F.70, and F.100 regional airliners.

Of the 283 F.100s built, the last, registered PT-MRW, was delivered to TAM Brazilian Airlines on March 21, 1996. And, despite promising sales prospects for the F.70, which was operated by major carriers such as Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, British Midland, KLM, and Vietnam Airlines, only 48 rolled off the production line before it was closed down, the last, registered PH-KZK, delivered to KLM Cityhopper on April 18, 1997.

8. Rekkof Restart:

Of the many proposals that attempted to salvage Fokker Aircraft, the Rekkof Restart one-- whose founder and managing director, Jaap Rosen Jacobsen, was also head of Belgian regional carrier VLM--seemed the most promising. Financed by a loan from a Swiss trust and taking its name from the backwards-spelling of "Fokker," the venture, with an intended, 400-person workforce, planned to produce 24 F.70s and F.100s per annum, and, by the end of 1998, had amassed orders, memoranda of understanding, and letters of intent for almost this amount.

Although it had been envisioned that Rolls Royce would continue to produce the engines, subassemblies would now be furnished by other suppliers. Rekkof itself, Eurocopter Deutschland, Pfalz Flugzeugwerke, and Aircraft Services Lemwerder, for instance, would build fuselage sections, and Aerostructures Humble, replacing Shorts of Belfast, would now provide the wing. SABCA of Belgium would manufacture the tail section and the horizontal stabilizer.

Based primarily upon Boeing forecasts, demand for 70-seaters was seen as 1,331 and for 100-seaters 2,164 through 2017. Having already captured 29 percent of the market, Fokker/Rekkof believed it could sell up to 332 F.70s and 432 F.100s, and saw the following advantages of restarting the production line as opposed to designing an all-new aircraft.

Because the design was already established, no new development costs would have been incurred. Compared to the original production line, the Rekkof process would have introduced a 30-percent increase in assembly efficiency, only requiring 400 employees to manufacture the 24 aircraft per year, and, with all the tools and machinery in place, the line could have been reinitiated with little more than an inspection and a flip of the switch, facilitating deliveries by the spring of 2000--or six months before the emergence of potential competitors, such as the Bombardier CRJ-700, the British Aerospace RJX, and the Dornier Do-728JET. (Only the former, in the event, was ever built.)

With the Fokker JetLine's own advanced features-including its Rolls Royce turbofans, wing, and all-glass cockpit-it was nevertheless considered current to any technological features these aircraft could have introduced, as expressed by Rekkof Aircraft itself. "There is an evident demand for aircraft in the segment 70-90 seats," it proclaimed. "Furthermore, the current operational fleet of Fokker 70 aircraft is proof that there is no aircraft today that can exceed its overall product qualities."

But, the longer Rekkof delayed its relaunch due to unfavorable economic conditions, the more those "today" advantages eroded, and changing market requirements soon necessitated larger-capacity designs, prompting it to eventually focus on the unbuilt F.130.

Yet, as the first decade of the 21st century unfolded, so, too, did new competition in the form of the Bombardier CRJ-900 and -1000 and CS100 from Canada, the Embraer E-170 to -195 series from Brazil, and the Antonov An-148 and -158 and the Sukhoi SSJ-100 regional jet from Russia, causing what would have been a still-robust, mostly unfilled market at the dawn of the century to have become a saturated one in 2015, and leaving the resurrected Fokker JetLine nothing more than a faded vision.

Friday, September 27, 2013

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Sheryl Sandberg offers compelling insight into why men still hold the overwhelming majority of leadership positions in industry and government, despite over 50% of college graduates being women. She offers pragmatic advice for women on how to meet career challenges as they seek to achieve their full potential. Sheryl is the CEO of Facebook and is one of Fortune’s 50 Most Powerful Women in Business. In Lean In, by Sheryl Sandberg, she offers insight into …• Why we have too few women l

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Based on Happy Birthday to You!, this fun-filled interactive book has elements to touch, spin, pull, and smell—perfect for inquisitive readers. With a dazzling blue foil cover, it makes a great birthday gift—allowing babies and toddlers to celebrate the arrival of the Great Birthday Bird and their Day of Days every day of the year!

The Dr. Seuss Nursery Collection introduces the most beloved Dr. Seuss characters to the littlest of listeners. Based on Dr. Seuss’s signature art an

Saturday, September 14, 2013

If you were to disregard all of the file folders, books and scribbled Post-It notes, one of the first things you'd notice about my office is my fondness for The Wizard of Oz. Along the walls and bookshelves are postcards of Dorothy and The Wicked Witch, a stuffed Scarecrow and a Cowardly Lion hand puppet. There's also an 18-inch rainbow on my desk. It's really a candleholder, a simple black ornamental bridge with small glass votives of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. To me it is a symbol of hope and inspiration, a reminder of how color became my muse.

The road to rainbows

Like many writers, there was a time when my words did not flow, flow, flow onto the paper, a time when I would have welcomed a pair of ruby slippers just so I could click myself three times out of the Writers Block Woods and into the Creative Light. Then one day I walked into a metaphysical shop and found my muse. There along one large, sunny window were over 100 square glass bottles, each containing two different-colored layers of liquid. They mesmerized me with their gem-like brilliance.

This was my introduction to Aura-Soma, an holistic therapy which uses the healing energies of colors, plants and crystals. Instinctively, I reached for "Gabriel", the blue-over-violet bottle. By applying the oily contents to my throat and temple, my communication abilities would be greatly improved, it was explained. What's this--a writer's miracle in a bottle? Intrigued, I brought "Gabriel" home and after only a few applications, I found myself enjoying what I can only describe as a creative high.

An ancient method

Now that I have spent many years researching the benefits of color, I'm not surprised "Gabriel" worked so well. "Color is a powerful tool," author Lori Reid wrote in ther book, Color Book: Use the healing powers of color to transform your life. "It acts on our bodies, minds, and emotions, triggering deep and subtle responses on a subconscious level."

Within each of us are spinning wheels of energy called chakras which correspond to a specific color of the spectrum, as well as an emotional issue. Red (root chakra, located at the base of the spine) is used for energy, grounding and passion. Orange (sacral chakra, located two inches below the navel) promotes joy and sexuality. Yellow (solar plexus chakra, located below the breastbone) helps counteract depression and stimulates mental activity. Green (heart chakra, located at the center of the chest) represents compassion and healing. Blue (throat chakra, located at the throat) deals with peace, communication and artistic expression. Indigo (brow chakra, located at the third eye area, between the brows) activates intuition. Violet (crown chakra, located at the crown of the head) represents spirituality and inspiration.

Since ancient times, color has been used in physical, mental and emotional healing. It is said that Hippocrates applied his medicine in rooms painted in soothing colors and used different colored salves and ointments as treatment. In ancient Egypt, China and India, individuals were dipped in colored pigment or bathed in light that was filtered through colored-glass windows. Today color is introduced by using crystals and visualization, wearing a particular color clothing to absorb color physically, applying colored lights or oils to the skin, eating colored foods and drinking colored water. One can also receive different color vibrations through music.

Color your world

How would you describe green to your readers? Before you write, visualize your setting and try to see, feel and smell the green. Say you are writing a short story about a young girl living in an old country cottage in Ireland. Is the color of the grass and trees an emerald or Kelly green? Does the grass feel dry or wet? How do you convey the smell of the countryside? Is green an earthy, clean smell? Is it sweet and slightly minty or antiseptic-smelling like pine?

"Becoming aware of the effects of color means that we can make use of its positive benefits to lift our spirits, to unlock our creative imagination, to enhance our environment and to improve our image, our well-being, and our lives," says Reid.

Did you know that if you write on a yellow note pad with blue ink, you can enhance both your communication and creative skills? Think about what you wish to communicate to your readers. Is it anger? Joy or pain?

Once you understand the excessive and deficient qualities associated with each color, you can write stories with more interesting, more believable characters. In her book, Color and Crystals: A Journey Through The Chakras, author Joy Gardner provides an excellent example of someone who has too much red energy:

"This wealthy perfectionist is the owner of a California restaurant chain. He rules his employees like a commanding general. He is nervous and chronically constipated. He owns three cars, which give him little satisfaction. He sleeps with many women, but it's an empty experience."

An outstanding example of a red personality is the aptly named Scarlett O'Hara, the fiery heroine from "Gone With The Wind". Talk about attention-getters! Scarlett was stubborn and temperamental, a woman who demanded everything the world had to offer. Nothing could stop her from achieving her goals, not death and destruction nor the scorn and wagging tongues of the local citizens. If she had to steal her sister's beau, murder a Yankee or toil in the fields, well, so be it. She would not be defeated.

In the end, Scarlett had amassed great wealth and had rebuilt her beloved Tara, but she had suffered great losses as well. Her daughter was dead and her husband, Rhett Butler, clearly didn't give a damn and was heading out the door. But we just know that Scarlett got Rhett in the end. Why? Because she never, ever quit. She knew what she wanted and she would fight the devil himself to ensure that she got it. Scarlett O'Hara was the ultimate survivor. Surely, if she had had a personal mantra, it would have been: "It's all about me!"

A writer's meditation

Sit or lie in a comfortable position. Close your eyes and imagine yourself sitting on a beautiful white sandy beach. The sun is directly overhead and its rays are brilliant and warm as they flow from the top of your head and throughout your body.

Let your toes feel the cool, Caribbean blue waters. See yourself staring out to sea, mesmerized by the dancing rhythm of the waves. Watch the seagulls fly above you, then see them dive into the sparkling water. You feel at peace here. After awhile, you notice a huge wave coming toward you but you are not afraid. The water comes close to your hand and when the wave is gone, you see it has left you a wondrous gift.

Glowing like jewels on the sand are seven different colors of seaglass. You pick up the red seaglass first and hold it in the palm of your hand. Stare into the seaglass and imagine you are becoming smaller and smaller until you are surrounded by the red seaglass. Feel the warmth and energy of the color red. Red is the first color of the rainbow. It is the color of passion and enthusiasm and survival. Red helps you obtain your material needs.

Now pick up the orange-colored seaglass. Orange is the second color of the rainbow. Look into the seaglass and become the color orange. Orange is a joyful color. With orange, you feel happy about your decision to become a writer and you will not allow anyone or anything to dampen your enthusiasm.

Now pick up the yellow-colored seaglass and feel the power of yellow surround you. Yellow is the third color of the rainbow. Yellow gives you better confidence in your writing abilities, no matter how many rejection slips or criticisms you receive.

Place the green-colored seaglass into your hand. Green is the fourth color of the rainbow. It is the color of harmony and balance and peace. When you are hurrying to meet deadlines for books and articles, visualize the color green and your balance will be restored.

Pick up the blue-colored seaglass and become the color blue. Blue is the fifth color of the rainbow and offers you creativity and communication. Blue helps you perceive the truth and to conquer writer's block.

Now pick up the indigo-colored seaglass. This is the sixth color of the rainbow. Indigo is the color of intuition, your inner voice that tells you to "go for it". You need to trust your intuition if you are to realize your potential and become a successful writer.

Now there is only one seaglass left to explore, the violet-colored one. Violet is the seventh color of the rainbow. It is the color of faith. No matter how difficult your life may get, faith never lets you give up on yourself. In your journey as a writer, remember the color violet and your abilities and opportunities will improve.

Now slowly open your eyes and when you are ready, take your favorite colored pen or pencil in hand and write a page in your personal color journal, knowing that the power of the seven colors of the rainbow has made you into a better and more creative writer.

Are you ready to do some rainbow writing? Try these exercises now:

1. Write about a red place, object or character. OR write a cover letter to an agent, describing why he/she should take you on as a client. What are your accomplishments? Why are you certain your book or article will sell?

2. Write about an orange place, object or character. OR write about the first time you knew you really wanted to become a writer. Then write how you felt when you received your first criticism or rejection letter. Were you angry? Sad? Suicidal? How did you resolve the situation?

3. Write about a yellow place, object or character. OR write a movie synopsis of your life. Is it a poignant drama, comedy or psychological thriller? Which actor portrays you? Would you give your life story a General, PG-13 or R rating?

4. Write about a green place, object or character. OR write a poem about a time when you really loved something or someone. How did you express your love? Was it returned or rejected?

5. Write about a blue place, object or character. OR interview yourself as if you are already a successful writer. What suggestions would you give to a beginning writer? How have you managed to keep your name at the top of the bestseller lists? How do you avoid writer's block? Do you network with other writers?

6. Write about an indigo place, object or character. OR write a dialogue in which a small child is describing your present surroundings to an older blind person.

7. Write about a violet place, object or character. OR in first person, create a Cinderella-like fairytale where your greatest desire is to attend the most famous writers conference in the country. What are your adversities? How do you eventually get to the conference? Describe the general layout of the conference. Whom do you meet there? What questions do you ask your favorite author? What lessons do you learn? (Begin your story with "Once upon a time I was...")

Creating a personal color journal

Once I was angry with a person whom I felt had treated me unfairly. Since I was already "seeing red", I instinctively reached for a red pen and began to write passionately, wildly, about the injustice of it all. Had I been trying to "chill", I would have grabbed my "cool blue" pen instead. But in this situation I needed to express my anger--to really feel the emotional power of it--and that is why I chose to "be" red for that journaling session.

As you might expect from someone with an Oz collection, one of my major philosophies in life is to have fun, so I suggest the more colorful you can make your journal, the better. Choose either a large spiral notebook in your favorite color or seven different notebooks to reflect each hue of the rainbow and its corresponding emotion. If you are feeling depressed on the day of your journal entry, you need to add more red, so you will write this entry in red because red is the antidote to blue.

To get you started, here are nine colorful journaling prompts:

1. On the top of each page, write and complete this sentence: "The color I feel today is _______________________ because..."

2. Describe how you generally feel about the color red (or orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo or violet) and why.

3. Using the color red, complete this affirmation: "Today I have..."

4. Using the color orange, complete this affirmation: "Today I feel..."

5. Using the color yellow, complete this affirmation: "Today I can..."

6. Using the color green, complete this affirmation: "Today I love..."

7. Using the color blue, complete this affirmation: "Today I speak..."

8. Using the color indigo, complete this affirmation: "Today I see..."

9. Using the color violet, complete this affirmation: "Today I know..."

Dive write in, the aura's fine

Red. Orange. Yellow. Green. Blue. Indigo. Violet. These seven colors are powerful tools for writers. So if you've lost your muse somewhere along the yellow brick road and don't have a pair of ruby slippers to find it, look to the rainbow and you'll discover that writing is an even greater adventure when it's not all black and white.

Friday, September 13, 2013

Featuring a foreword by Michael Chertoff, former Secretary of Homeland Security, The McGraw-Hill Homeland Security Handbook, 2e is the one-stop guide for any professional or student involved in counterterrorism, homeland security, business continuity, or disaster risk management. This indispensable book provides government officials, corporate risk managers, business and security executives, first responders, and all homeland security and emergency prepared-ness professionals with a wide-ranging

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Let us walk through the story. Let us explore the inner thoughts. The messages await your discovery. This is a review of the story of an American Professor engulfed in the mysterious arena of the clash of very powerful entities! The professor is going to find out how much "reality" he can decipher! In his travels, the professor will encounter notions the thought of which are indeed frightening. His is a miss

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Inferno by Dan Brown; Kajal Nair Warning: This is not the actual book, Inferno by Dan Brown. This is A Brief Read of Inferno by Dan Brown, as summarized and interpreted by Kajal Nair. Dan Brown once again creates a fast-paced roller-coaster hunt with his lead character, expert symbologist Robert Langdon. After waking up in a hospital in Florence with no memory of the past two days, Langdon sets out across Italy, trying to put together pieces of a puzzle. Readers are drawn into Langdon’s race a

Monday, September 9, 2013

When a new NASA satellite spots evidence of an astonishingly rare object buried deep in the Arctic ice, the floundering space agency proclaims a much-needed victory...a victory that has profound implications for U.S. space policy and the impending presidential election. With the Oval Office in the balance, the President dispatches White House Intelligence analyst Rachel Sexton to the Milne Ice Shelf to verify the authenticity of the find. Accompanied by a team of experts, including the charismat

Sunday, September 8, 2013

A North Carolina woman dies of a flesh-eating bacterial disease. Thousands of people in West Africa are suffering from cholera. And antibiotics are rapidly becoming less and less effective at fighting what were once mild infections. The biggest threat to the future of human society may not be terrorist attacks or nuclear war, but rather microscopic bacteria. Immunologist Norbert Gualde explains in Resistance the dangers we face from bacterial resistance, asserting that we must confront the real

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Tissue Engineering is a comprehensive introduction to the engineering and biological aspects of this critical subject. With contributions from internationally renowned authors, it provides a broad perspective on tissue engineering for students and professionals who are developing their knowledge of this important topic. Key topics covered include stem cells; morphogenesis and cellular signaling; the extracellular matrix; biocompatibility; scaffold design and fabrication; controlled release strat

Friday, September 6, 2013

#1 New York Times bestseller Nicholas Sparks turns his unrivaled talents to a new tale about love found and lost, and the choices we hope we'll never have to make.

Travis Parker has everything a man could want: a good job, loyal friends, even a waterfront home in small-town North Carolina. In full pursuit of the good life-- boating, swimming, and regular barbecues with his good-natured buddies--he holds the vague conviction that a serious relationship with a woman would only cramp his sty

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Madison Smartt Bell is one of the most versatile and gifted authors of his generation, a literary stylist with few peers. Doctor Sleep, one of his best novels, is a taut and satisfying psychological thriller planned to be released as a major motion picture under the title Hypnotic. Adrian Strother is a hypnotherapist who, paradoxically, can't get to sleep. He plies his trade in a depressed section of London, doing the occasional job for Scotland Yard, which brings him into contact with an unsavo

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Stephen King's long-awaited sequel to The Shining, Doctor Sleep, marks the author's return to the horror genre after a foray into science fiction. Loaded with supernatural elements and told in King's signature terse style, Doctor Sleep revolves around Dan Torrance, son of Jack Torrance from The Shining. It focuses on Dan's life after the events at the Overlook Hotel. Dan, now a grown man, struggles with his former alcoholism, while also struggling with his gift, known as "the shining." He finds

Monday, September 2, 2013

The 10th anniversary edition of the New York Times bestseller and international classic loved by millions of readers.

The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father's servant, The Kite Runner is a beautifully crafted novel set in a country that is in the process of being destroyed. It is about the power of reading, the price of betrayal, and the possibility of redemption; and an exploration of the power of fathers over so